Air controller for gas engines



Jan. 18, 1927.

C. A. CRIQUI ET AL AIR CONTROLLER FOR GAS ENGINES Filed Sept. 19 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet .1

g Alum 1,614,544 Jan- 1927- c. A. CRIQUI ET AL AIR CONTROLLER FOR GAS: ENGINES Filed Sept. 19 1925 I 3 Sheets-sheet 2 @Jjaaef d" Jan. 18 {1927. 1,614,544

C. A. CRIQUI ET AL AIR CQNTROLLER FOR GAS ENGINES Filed Sept. 19, 192E 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Jan. 18, 1927.

UNITED STATES tense earner series.

CHARLES .A. CRIQUI ELWOOD 'I. LARKIN, OF BUFFALO, NEVT YGBK; SAID LARKIN ASSIG-NOB TO SAID GETQUI.

AIR CONTROLLER FOB GAS ENGINES.

Application filed September This invention relates to an air supplying ly a device oi the character which is to be used in a gas engine having a plurality of carburetors. This invention is an improvement on a device for the same general purpose shown in the United States patent application tiled by us January 80, 1924, Serial No. 689,529. r

The object oi the present invention is to provide means to prevent any back fires which come baclt'wardly through the carburetors from causing any explosion or tires outside of the engine proper, and also to withdraw any gas laden air from the crank case and the gasoline supply tanl: of the engine and conduct them to the cylinders oi" the engine where they are consumed instead oi permitting said tree explosive gases to contaminate the engine room and its contents and occupants.

in the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of a gas engine equipped with our im:

' proved air supplying device.

Figures 2 and 3 are cross sections on the correspondingly numbered lines inFig. 5.

Figure 4: is a vertical longitudinal section taken on line 1%, 5.

Figures 5, 6, '4' and 8 are horizontal sections taken on the correspondingly numbered lines in Fig.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 99, Fig. 5.

Similar characters oi reference indicate like parts throughout the several drawings:

The gas engine which is shown in the drawings as an example of one suitable for use in connection withour invention comprises a crank case 10, a cylinder block 11 arranged above the crank case, an intake manifold 12 provided with a plurality of outlets which are connected with the several cylinders, and also provided with two spaced apart mixture inlets 18, and two carburetors 1a which may be of any suitable construction and which have their mixture outlets connected, respectively, with the inlets 13 oi the intake manifold while their air inlets 15 face each other on their opposing sides and are horizontally in line.

Connecting the two air inlets of the two carburetors is a main section 16 of an air supply pipe or conduit which is arranged 19, 1925. Serial No. 57,348.

-horizontally and has the outlets at its opdevice for a gas engine and more particularposite ends communicating, respectively, with the air inlets of the two carburetors.

Mic way of the length of the main air supply conduit the same is provided on its upper side with a plurality of air inlets which are protected by screens and check valves in order to ermit air to freely enter the air supply conduit but prevent the passage of any air from the interior tothe exterior o1 the air supply conduit.

The main air supply conduit is provided on the central part of its upperside with an upward extension 17 whichcontoins a plurality of valve chambers 18 which are arranged in a longitudinal row and each of which is provided at its top with a contracted air inlet opening 19 and communicated at its bottom by a contracted passage 20 with the adjacent part of the main air supply conduit. The several air inlets 19 are formed in a cover or plate 21 which is secured to the upper edge of the extension by means of screws 22. Each of the passages 20 is formed in a partition 23 between the extension and the main conduit 16. In each valve chamber is arranged a valve 24 of disk form which is of larger diameter than the air inlet 19 and the communicating passage 20 and is movable vertically toward and from a downwardly facing valve seat 25 formed on the underside of the cover 21 around the respective air inlet opening 19. This valve is guided in its vertical movements toward and from its seat by vertical ribs 26 arranged on the extension 17 and in an annular row within the valve chamber around the edge of the valve so as to keep the latter centered with reference to the air inlet opening 19 and the outlet passage 20. This valve opens and its movement away from the valve seat 25 is arrested when the same reaches a position about half way between the air inlet 19 and the out passage 20 in which location the valve normally rests on upwardly facing stops or shoulders 27 formed on the ribs 26, as shown in Figs. 2, 4, 5 and 9. During the ordinary operation of the engine air is constantly drawn downwardly through the several inlets 19, valve chamber 18, outlet passages and main conduit 16 and discharged from the opposite ends of the latter to the carburetors in accordance with the suction action on the same of the working pistons in the cylinders. If at any time a back fire should occur in one of the carburetors the backwardly pressed gases resulting therefrom will be carried by the main air conduit 16 over to the other carburetor and drawn into the cylinders and at the same time the back pressure of gases against the underside of the valves 24-. will lift them and force the same against the several valve seats 25, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. l, thereby positively closing the inlets or" the valve chambers and preventing any of thev ignited gases within the air conduit from escaping therefrom and causing possible explosions or fires outside of the gas engine. The back fire of the gases in the main air conduit are thus caused to automatically close the check valves by reason of the latter being of larger diameter than the passages 20 which compels the gases while backing up into the valve chambers to exert an upward pressure on the valves and close the same before these backwardly pressed gases have time to pass laterally from the passages 20 around the edges of the valves and inwardly to the inlet opening 19. Inasmuch as the backwardly pressec. gases act to close the valves before these gases can take the circuitous path around the edges of the valves to the exterior the danger of setting fire to anything externally of the engine is positively avoided.

In order to prevent any large particles of dirt or trash from entering the air supply pipe and reaching the intake manifold protecting screen 28 is provided which extends over the several air inlets but is spaced apart therefrom by a marginal rim 29 projecting outwardly from the cover 21. and supporting the screen so as to form an air chamber 30 between the cover and screen. The latter is held in place between this rim and a retaining frame 31 by screws 32 connecting the rim and frame.

For the purpose of drawing off a laden air which may be present in the crank case of the engine a vent or suction pipe is provided which extends vertically through the central part of the main air conduit from the underside of the same to cover 21 and communicates at its upper end through an opening 34 in the cover with the air chamber 30 between the cover and screen, while the lower end of the suction pipe is connected by a flexible tube 35 with the crank case of the engine. When a downward suction of air from the air chamberSO into the valve chambers occurs during the operation of the engine a suctioneffect isalso exerted upon the upper end of the suction pipe 38 whereby any gases in the crank case are drawn therefrom and carried away with the incoming tresh air to the carburetor, and consumed in the cylinders. The same disposition is made of any gases in the upper part of the gasoline supply tank 36 by connecting the to] of the latter by a tank vent pipe with a branch 38 of the main vent pipe 85, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 7.

The combustible gases in the gasoline tank and the crank case are, therefore, withdrawn therefrom and utilized for producing power in the cylinders instead of permittingthe same to contaminate the atmosphere in the engine room as well as avoiding danger to life and property.

An annular upwardly projecting flange 39 is preferably arranged around the opening 3 for the purpose of directing the vapors upwardly toward the top of the air chamber and distributing the same more uni torinly among the several air inlets and also to guard against the entrance of any dirt into the vent pipe.

lVe claim as our invention 1. An air controller for gas engines comprising a conduit having an outlet end adapted to be connected with a carburetor and provided with an inlet end containing a valve chamber which latter has an air inlet opening surrounded by an inwardly facing valve seat. and the inner wall of said chamher being formed by a contracted partition having a reduced passage connecting said chamber with the outlet part of said conduit, a valve of larger diameter than said inlet opening and said passage arranged in said chamber and adapted when subjected to internal pressure to be moved into engage ment with said seat and normally arranged out of engagement from said seat and said partition, and a vent conduit having its outlet end arranged adjacent to the outer side oi aid air inlet and adapted to connect with the vapor spaces oi a gas engine.

2. An air controller for a gas engine having a plurality of carburetors, comprising a conduit provided at its opposite ends with outlets adapted to be connected with the inlets of separated carburetors and having its central part provided with a vent conduit adapted to be connected with a space of an engine and provided on opposite sides of said vent conduit with separate air inlets, and outwardly closing check valves for controlling the inlets of said air conduit and a screen arranged over said air inlets and said vent conduit.

CHARLES A. CRIQUI. ELWOOD '1. LARKIN.

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